How Miami Fared in the State Budget

Miami officials are pleased with the final state budget adopted by legislators and signed by Gov. George Voinovich.

"Higher education in general and Miami specifically did better than the Executive Budget recommendation," said Edward Demske, senior vice president for university services and treasurer.

Colleges and universities worked together to convince legislators and state officials of the need for increased higher education funding, Demske said.

"Many individuals statewide--trustees, university officials and influential alumni--put in a lot of effort to demonstrate that spending on higher education is an investment in Ohio's future. We were also helped by increased revenue projections," Demske said.

"We are particularly appreciative to the leadership of the legislature--Speaker of the House Jo Ann Davidson, Senate President Richard D. Finan and Rep.Tom Johnson and Sen.Roy Ray, chair of their respective finance committees. We also want to thank Rep. Gene Krebs, who was an advocate on our behalf along with his colleagues on the House Committee, Rep. Michael Fox and Rep. Gary Cates and Sen. Scott Nein," Demske said.

Miami's projected subsidy for the next two years is:

Oxford campus: 1998, $58,117,451; 1999, $61,193,426.

Middletown campus: 1998, $5,828,191; 1999, $6,595,641.

Hamilton campus: 1998, $5,007,855; 1999, $5,242,885.

Miami's preliminary budget guidelines for the 1997-98 academic year adopted June 20 by trustees are consistent with the final state budget and will require no changes, Demske said. Tuition and fees for Miamis Oxford campus will rise 6 percent, to $5,406 for in-state students. Out-of-state students will pay $11,506.

Tuition on the Hamilton and Middletown campuses will decrease two percent for 100- and 200-level courses, down $56 to $3,072. Upper-level course tuition and fees will go up $212 to $3,744.

Other budget decisions include:

Providing an additional $700,000 toward student aid.

Setting faculty and staff merit adjustment pools at 3 percent.

Creating an additional salary improvement pool of

$1.7 million to boost faculty salaries to American Association of University Professors average faculty salaries at doctoral universities and to bring classified and unclassified staff pay to market averages.